It's a week since the Mast crash and it took me two days to pluck up the courage to post up a pic. I'm remind that I changed the name of my boat and Poseidon and Neptune are not happy with me. ... But I guess they'll get over it one day
At the start of the week I new nothing about Spars, Extrusions Sections and I feared the huge costs and a knock-back from the insurance company .... I'm not out of the woods yet but I am feeling that even with the worst case scenario I could handle this project comfortably
I wouldn't have got there without this forum and you guys ... so many thanks for all your help and advice
Ixneigh wrote:Best option is a custom fabricated tapered aluminum spar with a sleeved insert about six feet long in the spreader area.
Contrary to my previous beliefs IX ... I now know a place that can do this.
Is it just less weight up high or is there more to it than that?
Why have a sleeved insert?
I keep wondering about bending the mast to depower, as far as I can see if you bend the mast you create a belly in the sail, on some points of sail this would increase the power not decrease the power.
On the other hand if the mast is straighter and you haul your cunningham, outhaul and vang down hard, this makes the sail flatter and it with deflect the wind and thus depower the boat.
I have read MANY sailing books, a few say more backstay to depower, but most say get everything on hard except the backstay, I would of thought this was a simple bit of sailing logic but even the experts cant agree.
I would love to hear the argument for depowering by increasing mast bend in technical terms
First of all we are talking about fractional rigged sailboats. Yes all the sailmakers aggre that you increase back stay as the wind picks up to depower the sail. The sailmaker cuts the luff to match the curve of the mast. As the wind picks up you tighten everything to flatten the sail. When you curve the mast you are pulling fwd on the center of the sail. Some of the best tuning guides I have dealt with are for the J24 (fractional rigged also)
Neo wrote:Yes depower is reducing power.
...if the mast is straighter and you haul your cunningham, outhaul and vang down hard, this makes the sail flatter and it with deflect the wind and thus depower the boat.
Sorry I'm a novice in this sailing game .... Seems like a lot of "work and wires" just reduce the efficiency of the main .... Am I missing something?
Would I need a Backstay (should be called "AftStay" ) if I went for a Tapered Mast?
Do later Macs have a BackStay?
No worries about the hijack, I'll Hijack the thread back when I have an update on my replacement mast .... Just for everyone's information BWY are moving this week so no quotes for me
Tapered spars shave weight off the top and look classy. Lighter top end helps in raising mast. Even a few pounds savings will help. Sleeve the spar where the spreaders attach. It's a common failure point. Extra strength there won't hurt.
Re backstay it's not needed. Anyone sail the rig off one of these boats yet due to lack of stays or shrouds?
Neglect or accident, yes. The design is sound. First class wire and attachment upgrades? Yes. Die form wire with swageless fittings ideally.
Ix
The was the last Mac with a back stay (That is, if you don't consider the 65 or the 70 ) The which was the replacement, has no back stay. Again, that is if you don't take into consideration Highlander's and others who have added a back stay to their M's
Just sayin thats all ! 
... But I guess they'll get over it one day 
.... I'm not out of the woods yet but I am feeling that even with the worst case scenario I could handle this project comfortably 
which has no back stay. Are you now considering installing one?
was the last Mac with a back stay (That is, if you don't consider the 65 or the 70 
